Fuse block



Patented July 13, Y193.1

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,039

Claims.,

This invention relates to fuse blocks, and more particularly to fuse blocks having contact clips for receiving cartridge type fuses.

In fuse blocks of this type with which i am 5 familiar, it has heretofore been possible to push the fuse into'the clips past the arcuate gripping portion of the clip, whereby the clip jaws are sprung apart, and when the fuse is returned to its normal position the clip sides or jaws do not grip tightly about the fuse ferruies, and consen quentiy make an undesirable loose connection therewith.

Further, in fuse blocks of this type, it is distinctly advantageous to prevent any relative an guiar displacement between the clips, in order to maintain the clips in proper alinement for reu ceiving the fuse, and at the same time to prevent any possibility of longitudinal movement ci the fuse member within the clips.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, I provide a fuse bloei: comprising an insulating base member carrying a pair or" spaced terminal posts, with fuse clips carried by ings centered on said posts for receiving a cartridge type fuse, the lugs being provided with means for limiting the inward movement et the fuse into the gripping portion of clips, to prevent spring= ing apart of the jaws of the clips.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide stop means associated with the fuse clips for denitely limiting the inserting oi the fuse member into the clips to prevent springing apart oi the clip jaws by insertion of the fuse into the clips past the normal engaging position.

3 Another object of the present invention is the provision of means 'for maintaining a predetermined relative alinement between the clips and for preventing any angular displacement of either of the clips with respect to the terminal lugs or the fuse block.

4 A still further object of the invention is to provide means formed on the clip jaws for preventj ing longitudinal movement ot the fuse member when it is placed In connected position.

i The present invention is directed particularly to the production of a simplified fuse block construction possessing certain distinct advantages overthe former types of construction with which. I am familiar, while still maintaining the economical advantages of mass production and the provision of metal stamped parts, in order to produce such fuse block structures at relatively small cost.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the follow- (Cl. 20o-133) ing detailed description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of apreferred fo of the present invention. 5

in the drawing:

Figure l is a top pian view oi a fuse box con structed in accordance with the teachings oi the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the fuse i6 block o Figure l, partly in section, showing the construction and mounting of the iuse clips; and

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view o one or the inse clips.

in the preferred embodiment of the invention, i5- i provide a iuse bloeit. comprising a base mem beiQ 5 formed of insulating material or the iike, and which is preferably provided with an open ing l@ adapted to receive any suitable securing means for mountingthe fuse block in operative 2@ position. The opening t is preferably countern snni` in order that the securing means may be disposed within the plane oi the base member 5.

Extending through countersunk openings in the end portions of the block member 5 are a pair of terminal screws or `Ieiriding posts 1, provided with head portions B, and which are threaded to re= ceive nuts iii, the nuts I0 having locking wasir1 ers. Q interposed therebetween for securing terminai conductors or the like in electrical connec- 30 tion with the binding posts 1.

Each of the binding posts 1 is also adapted to provide a centering means for supporting a terminal lug member I2, the members I2 carried by the posts 1 extending toward each other and be- 35 ing'secured at their inner extending ends to the base 5 by means of countersunk rivet members I3 having the head portions thereof seating in recesses I4 formed in the under surface of the base member 5. 40

The upwardly extending portion of each of the rivets I3 is adapted to provide a centering means for securing a contact clip indicatedgeneraily at I5 to the top surfacev of the lug member I2, the rivet I3 being headed over, as shown at IG, 45 for this purpose.

The contact clip l'comprises a substantially U-shaped resilient member having the outwardly flared extending ends I1 and I8, and provided with intermediate portions of circular or arcuate w form, shown at I9, which are adapted to receive the fuse.

The fuse member 20 shown in this embodiment of the invention may comprise any suitable type of fuse member, and preferably is of the cartridge 55 type, having the glass enclosed portion through which the fusible conductor itself extends, and being provided with terminal portions comprising the cylindrical ferrules22, which are adapted to be forced between the ared ends I1 and Il of the contact clip I5 into contacting engagement with the inner peripheral surface of the portions I9 of the clip. The clip itself has a flat base portion 23 which lies over the face of the terminal lug I2, and which prevents relative lateral movement of the clip with respect to the lug. In addition, the cylindrical contacting portions I9 of the clip jaws do not extend the full width of the jaw, but are slotted out therefrom to provide the inwardly extending arched portions 2, which portions serve as stops for preventing any longi` tudinal movement of the fuse member 2li relative to the clips, the stops 24 engaging the end portions of the ferrules 22 to prevent such movemember is disposed coincident with the center 1 axis of the .arcuate surfaces I9 formed in thefuse clips. 'I'his provides for a relatively tight, positive Contact between the ferrules 22 and the contact clips, and thus eliminates any possibility of looseness of engagement due to the fact that the jaws I1 and I8 are sprung apart by forcing the fuse member downwardly past the portions I9 of the clips, and thereby moving the jaws outwardly into a position such that they will not grip the fuse ferrules tightly.

Positive alinement of the contact clips I5 with respect to the lug members I2 is obtained by providing the lug members with integrally formed, upwardly extending alining portions 26, which arev stamped outwardly from the plane of the lug member I2, and these abutment portions 26 are adapted to provide a positive alining surface engageable with the side wall of the base portion 23 of the contact clip, whereby upon moving the contact clip into position and heading over the rivet I3, the clip will be positioned in engagement with the vertical wall of thealining stop member 26, thereby preventing any possibility of rotational movement of the clip about the pivot. 'I'he upwardly extending tongue 25 also serves to confine the clip in position, whereby the two clips will be positively alined with respect to -each other, and will be prevented from being displaced angularly with respect to the terminal lugs. Further, these stop means 26 provide for positive spacing of the clips a predetermined distance apart, whereby the standard type of cartridge fuse may be employed therein, and will nicely fit within the longitudinal stop members 24 formed in the contact clips.

It is to be noted that the binding post 'I and the washers 9 and I0 are formed of standard machine parts, and therefore are relatively low in cost, and 4that the terminal lugs I2 and contact clips I5 may be formed of metal stampings or the like, and are capable of mass production, whereby the cost of the entire fuse block may be kept at a minimum. In addition, by the provision of the spaced'openings in the fuse block 5,

and the provision of the various alining means described, the assembly of the fuse block is facilitated, since theparts are relatively aligned with respect to each other, and accurate assembly is readily obtainable.

It is apparent that modificationsr of several of the features of the present disclosure may be made without departing from the invention disclosed herein, and I do not intend to be limited to the exact illustrated embodiment which I have described, but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a terminal lug of substantially planar form, a U-shaped resilient contact clip having jaw members provided with outwardly flared ends, each of said jaw members having intermediate opposed arcuately curved portions defining a contact gripping portion for engaging a cylindrical ferrule of a fuse and a stop for limiting endwise movement of said ferrule, means for securing said clip to said lug, abutment means struck out of said lug for positioning said clip in predetermined position on said lug, and means integral with said lug at one end thereof for limiting downward movement of said ferrule beyond the curved portions of said jaw members, said last named means engaging the portion of said fuse extending between the ferrules at the ends thereof.

2. In combination, an insulating base member, a pair of binding posts carried thereby, means for securing a terminal conductor to said postsa terminal lug carried by and extending laterally each of said posts, rivets extending through said base member and through each of said lugs, contact clips mounted on each of said lugs and secured thereto by said rivets, means integral with said lugs and engaging a defining edge of each of said clips forvpreventing angular movement of said clips with respect to said lugs. and integral normally extending tongue portions on each of said lugs extending upwardly across the adjacent ends of the openings of each of said clips.

3. In combination, a base member, a pair of terminal lugs mounted thereon and extending toward each other, integral normally extending transverse tongues at the adjacent ends of said lugs, integral raised portions intermediate the ends of each of said lugs and extending transversely across said lugs to provide transverse abutments spaced from and extending parallel to said` tongues, U-shaped contact clips oi a thickness equal to the height oi' said abutment and having flat base portions disposed on said lugs between said abutments and said tongues, and securing means passing through the base portions of said clips and through said lugs into said base member for securing said clips and lugs rigidly together, said clips having arcuate concave portions formed in the arms thereof for receiving the-cylindrical ferrules of the fuse member to support said member therebetween, said tongues extending upwardly to the lower end oi' said concave portions and engaging said fuse member intermediate said ferrules to limit downward movement of said ferrules within said clips.

4. In combination, a clip member of generally U-shape having a flat apertured base and having extending arms adapted to receive and grip a fuse ferrule, a supporting lug for said clip having spaced integral projections receiving therebetween the base of said clip member and engaging the lateral edges of said base to maintain said clip member in alinement with said lug, said lug having an apertured base portion in alinement beneath said clip base, one of said projections extending upwardly intermediate said arms to limit downward movement of the ferrule within said arms, and a securingmember passing through the apertures in said clip and lug for clamping the same rigidly together, said securing member having the end portion thereof disposed beneath the upper edge of said one of said projections.

5. A contact clip assembly for a fuse ferrule comprising an integral U-shaped contact clip having a iiat base portion provided with parallel transverse edges and arm portions shaped to re-s ceive said ferrule at a point spaced above said base portion, a terminal lug having an integral normally extending transverse tongue portion at one end thereof and having an integral raised portion intermediate its end forming an abutment spaced from and parallel to said tongue portion and of a height substantially equal to the thickness of said base portion, said abutment and tongue portion forming with the intermediate portion of said lug a channel for receiving said base portion of said clip to maintain the same in predetermined position, said base portion of said clip and the intermediate portion of said lug each having aligned apertures, and rivet means extending through said aperture for clamping said clip and lug together in iixed position on a base member, said rivet means having the end portion thereof disposed below the upper 15 edge of said tongue portion of said lug.

MARION W. MORRIS.

. CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No, 2,086,727.

July l5, 1937.

MARION w. MORRIS.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "RBM Manufacturing Co. whereas said neme should have been described and specified as R-B-M Manufacturing Company. of Logansport, Indiana.. a corporation of Ind1ana,as shown by the records of assignments4 in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of September, A. D. 1937.

(Seal) Henry Van Arsdale Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

